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Tom Cruise gives $2 million dollars a year to the Church of Scientology, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Australian press continues in its effort to dig up information about Scientology, as they run stories about the apparent conversion of one of their most prominent citizens James Packer to the new religion, which has been called a “cult.”

And why does superstar Tom Cruise think the church is worth the hefty donations that he reportedly gives it?

Cruise says that he appreciates Scientology, which is “an applied religious philosophy that you use in your life to help you … It’s something that helps an individual find out who you are.”

But according to Scientology finding out “who you are” is someone “full of these clusters of souls called ‘body thetans,'” that are the result of an event that originated in outer space 75 million years ago.

This story is typically told to Scientologists when they reach “OT III” (Operating Thetan Level 3), an achievement that often takes many years.

As a reported “OT V” Cruise already knows the story and accepts it essentially as religious revelation and apparently has “applied” it somehow for “use in [his] life.”

Learning this “religious philosophy” also can be extremely expensive. The Herald reports, “It is understood the cost of a course at the Los Angeles center is US $376,000.00.”

Of course this is not much for a superstar like Tom Cruise, who makes millions from one picture. He can probably also easily afford to kick in an extra two million, as something like an annual tithe too.

And James Packer, whose father is the richest man in Australia, should have no problem paying for his enlightenment either.

What is Mr. Packer’s response to recent stories? He says, “No comment whatsoever.”

Disclaimer

This news page is about groups, organizations or movements, which may have been called "cults" and/or "cult-like" in some way, shape or form. But not all groups called either "cults" or "cult-like" are harmful. Instead, they may be benign and generally defined as simply people intensely devoted to a person, place or thing. Therefore, the discussion or mention of a group, organization or person on this page, is not necessarily meant pejoratively.